City manager's raise is out of line

The fact that the mayor, Don Smith, and the other three alderman are "embarrassed" about the city manager's previous $157,000 salary clearly shows how they are out of touch with the Des Plaines residents they say they represent and promised to serve.

Many folks in Des Plaines are hurting financially and still have not fully recovered from the economic downturn of seven years ago. Des Plaines' per-capita (average) income is $30,600, its unemployment rate exceeds 5 percent, and real estate values have not recovered.

Very few Des Plaines' residents earn the city manager's previous $157,000 salary and even fewer earn his new $179,000 salary. Many Des Plaines' families are below the poverty line and are struggling to live on $22,000 per year or less. To give the city manager a $22,000 raise which exceeds what some families earn in an entire year and to give him $27,500 in lump sum back pay which is almost what the average resident earns in an entire year is obscene, shameful, and unconscionable.

Bob Porada

Des Plaines